The present invention relates to a new and improved construction of an apparatus for opening of textile fiber bales.
Generally speaking, the apparatus for opening textile fiber bales of the present development is of the type containing a fiber extraction or removal element for extraction of fiber flocks from upper surface layers of a textile fiber bale. There is provided a pneumatic transport duct located above the fiber extraction element for conveying or transporting away the thereto delivered fiber flocks received from the fiber extraction element. A fiber diverting or deflection member extends throughout the entire operable length of the fiber extraction element and is located immediately adjacent thereto in order to guide the fiber flocks delivered from the fiber extraction element into the transport duct.
In practical applications there has become known to the textile art a bale opening apparatus or machine under the trademark "UNIFLOC" which is available from the assignee of the instant application. In that bale opening machine, which is of the type heretofore described, to-and-fro movement of the bale opening machine above the laid-out fiber bales removes fiber flocks from the upper layers of such fiber bales. These removed fiber flocks are then transferred to a pneumatic transporting device also constituting part of the bale opening machine.
A fiber diverting member or means provided immediately above the fiber extraction or removal element, guides the fiber flocks which have been removed from the fiber bales by the fiber extraction or removal element into the pneumatic transporting device.
During practical operation of such equipment it has been found that occasionally undesirable, i.e. disturbing foreign objects or contaminants are present in the fiber bales. These foreign objects are not detected by a metal detector and at the very least can cause disturbances in the fiber extraction or removal elements of the bale opening machine, if not in fact damaging the same.